Although born and bred in upstate New York, I have lived in Northern Virginia for 31 years. This election cycle, the Commonwealth is a battleground in the Presidential race, and by virtue of anticipated coattails, negative or positive, in the Senatorial one as well. For what seems like an eternity, residents have endured increasingly nasty TV ads, and it isn't even post convention, post Labor Day! Candidates have been crisscrossing the state in attack dog mode, spewing gall and gaffes, attempting to drum up support. I want to buy earplugs.

So it was refreshing to stumble upon a "The New New York Works for Business" commercial, which began being broadcast nationwide several months ago, timing that I doubt was coincidental. Uplifting, with a DeNiro voice-over and set to the Alicia Keyes/Jay-Z tune, "Empire State of Mind," its positivity in this season of sludge caught my attention. How clever of my fellow Albany Law School alumni to launch such a contrasting spot, on the public dime no less, promoting what he's done for New York, with the obvious implication that in four years, the now Governor could do the same for US as well. Brilliant! If only we can wait...